This review is for drinks only. I was excited to have cocktails at Comal since I am a tequila and mezcal and saw how inventive they were. Alas, I found that despite their extensive cocktails and spirits menu, Comal is not particularly open to those who want to drop in for an after dinner drink and some chips and salsa. I ended up coming with a group of about 5 people who wanted to do the same and they were reluctant to seat us at a table that could be used for diners. So we decided to sit in the open bench area out back, and tried to order some appetizers. We were promptly informed that there is no food outside of the heated outdoor area. Great drinks, great selection, too many rules. Too bad. read more

My friend and I went to dinner here last night. I live in Berkeley and have passed by it multiple times and have been meaning to walk in. Thank goodness I finally did! The ambiance was to die for. You think it looks cool in the front, just ask to sit in their outside heated patio area! The food was delicious, but not crazy authentic Mexican with meat that is unrecognizable. Think Mexican food with a "white-washed" Berkeley style! I am giving this place 4 stars mainly for the ambiance and service was the best! I never felt forgotten nor over-serviced. The servers seemed truly genuine and casual. It is a great place to have a few drinks, share a few dishes, and partake in friendly conversation. read more

I went to Comal after a show at Berkeley Rep. I had confirmed during the intermission that they would be open late. I ordered the guacamole and chips which also comes with three different salsas. The guacamole was delicious, as was the one salsa I tried. But the chips were entirely too greasy. Next, I had the ceviche, which was very fresh, but finding shrimp in the dish was difficult. The ceviche also was served with the greasy chips. Overall, the dining experience was lacking. Go to Comal for the ambience to be enjoyed with a group of friends on their back deck. I would return for happy hour to see if they redeem themselves. read more

Beautiful, trendy but upscale interior. Great back outdoor dining area. Food is pretty good, but expensive. Started off with the fried pork rind chicharonnes which was better than you could get out of a bag, but not that much better. Didn't think much of the french fries. The beef and chicken street tacos were tasty. The roast turkey and three kinds of mole special was just OK. Maybe I should have used more mole sauce on my turkey. Really liked the roasted corn and the garlic string beans. Great service. Street parking only. I'd eat here again,. read more

The atmosphere at Comal is wonderful. The restaurant is a lot bigger than you expect it to be from the outside, and there's a backyard patio that's even bigger than the interior space, bar and fire pit included. It's cozy, the lighting is warm, and they fit a lot of people in the space, but it still feels spacious. And the wait staff is very friendly. That's about it though for the positive sides though. I think Comal is really overpriced for the amount of food/drinks you get and the quality of that food and drink. I got a margarita for $10 and it was in a small whiskey glass and it was subpar, our table got chips and salsa and guacamole for $9, and the guacamole literally just tasted like smushed avocados (however you can get unlimited refills of their homemade tortilla chips, which were delicious and not too oily), and I got a cod taco and a carne asada taco for $13 with no side dishes and the tacos were barely bigger than street tacos. So overall, I feel like Comal is way overpriced and should barely call itself Mexican food. It's really just white upper-middle class Mexican inspired Californian cuisine. Also, like other reviewers, the mandatory 20% tip wasn't exactly the most friendly welcome to the menu. read more

We ordered two of their family meals for curb-side pick up. The rotisserie chicken was delicious, as were the sides, and the veggie enchilada was also super tasty. I was very impressed and will be ordering from them regularly! The only note is that their food was a bit too spicy for my kids, so they ended up sticking to the tortillas and beans. You can order directly from them on comalberkeley.com read more

We had my Retirement party here & the pre fix menu was delicious with healthy servings of an array of dishes! The desserts were terrific, and a must to complete your meal. The manager Sebastian, was so accommodating. We sat inside, and would love to go back and enjoy the outside area as it was very welcoming. A lively place for a Friday evening dinner! read more

Wow, what a great experience at Comal last night! Seamless service from many different wait staff, without anyone being intrusive. Great cocktail (I ordered the tequila with cacao, cardamom, and lime--really flavorful and well balanced). Best homemade tortilla chips I've ever had, anywhere. And the trio of salsas that came with the chips were so ridiculously good we ordered a second basket of chips so we had vehicles for the salsa. I like salsa, but I'm not usually a raving fan, spooning it onto chips. That was me last night. By the time my taco dinner came, I was happy and full. The tacos (one pork, one grilled cod) were tasty and moist enough, but 4-star not 5-star on these for me. I will definitely be back! read more

The food is good, overpriced but tasty. The service is atrocious. Bland, rude, inattentive host and wait staff. We arrived for a reservation of 7 people which we made a week ago. The man taking the reservation was rude over the phone when my assistant called to set it up. When we arrived we needed 8 instead of 7 for people in our party. The place was empty and they were so annoyed by our need to add one more. They said we could sit at the communal table if we had 8. The communal table had high backless stools and we had 2 elderly people with us so that wouldn't work. They didn't even try to set up a new table for us but squished is into the tiny booth they had reserved for us, which was tiny for 7 people and 8 people was absurd. I asked numerous times for another table and they said this is what they had. Again, it was 5:30pm on a Thursday and the place was empty. Then they all stood at the host desk and stared at us and whispered to each other about our party. We should've left but the elderly people in our party didn't want to search and walk for something else. Big disappointment. We will not be back. read more

First of all, this is not Mexican food so anyone who wants Mexican food needs to go to another. I would not take any of my Mexican friends to this place because they will laugh and ask me what kind of Mexican food is this. This is a fusion restaurant. If you go with that in mind, you might like it. The quality of food is good but I don't know I would recommend this place even as a fusion restaurant read more

In short, the food was good, and my dessert was to die for. We had chips and salsa while waiting. Chips were great, and I really liked 2 of the 3 salsas. Then ensalada picada to start -- nice, but it's a fairly small salad. I had the mole enchiladas with a side of refried beans, and I really needed the beans, as the mole sauce was a bit too intense without them. The star -- Oaxacan chocolate budin. It's topped with just the right amount of salt, which perfects the dish. I want to go back for just dessert again and again. I do not like the cafeteria style / long table seating. If I wanted to be squished in with strangers, I'd go to Paris. read more

The atmosphere is awesome. I love the layout and lighting of the place. Food fell short of expectations. I had the Albondigas in Adobo sauce. The flavor of the Adobo wasn't coming through and the meatballs tasted like, well meatballs. Girlfriend had the enchiladas. Same thing, they were okay. The portions did feel alot like tapas sized, then again it wasn't super expensive. read more

This restaurant has terrible customer service and rude wait staff. A 20% tip is added automatically to all bills which is the root of their fucked up incentive structure. If I could give a zero star review, I would. read more

One of the best Mexican places around. Amazing service and the chips are bomb. You get 3 different salsas with your chips and everything is made fresh to order. Tons of Mezcals and Tequilas, and the drinks are great too. We always take family visiting from out of town when they're feeling Mexican, and they never disappoint. read more

This place is $$$, but good guacamole and chips. Atmosphere is great with the outdoor seating but the back bar can get a little crowded and bartenders aren't very attentive. I'd like to see lower prices and more prompt back bar service. read more

Comal has an amazing menu and ambience. You will always wait and you will always pay up when the bill comes. With that said the patio is magical and the wait is worth it. It's a popular spot on weekends and on evenings when there are events at the Greek so check the schedule before hand. Try to go early and always scope for seats at the bar... which unfortunately won't land you on the patio. I've been coming here for years and I always bring out of towners... definitely more of a special occasion than a regular stop, especially if you get cocktails which are pretty great but overpriced just like everything in the Bay Area. Keep this place open and get a margarita. read more

Worst customer service ever I felt discriminated and humiliated by the general manager of this restaurant . Zack the general manager needs to take some cultural sensitivities clases. I was with a group of 12 with a reservation. He was very rude and disrespectful with us just because we are hispanic. I have to put one start but this place deserved 0 starts. At the same time I felt really bad for the other staff members apologizing with us with the attitude this manager show to us. read more

We were so excited to finally try this locale that people have been talking about. Great atmosphere, busy on a Saturday night- yet we're able to get a great table in the corner (actually what we wanted because of the noise level). Great cocktails & food. Definitely did not disappoint- what lacked was the service. We were met by the RUDEST server. After a misunderstanding over a cocktail order we then received the most cold shoulder approach ever. I get that the 20% tip is included so the care of actual customer service isn't there. But for a $70 tip for doing nothing, is ridiculous. End of our meal, we waited 30 mins before anyone approached us about our bill. Server didn't even ask how we liked our meal. If a restaurant is going to add 20% for automatic tip the service should reflect that. What a huge let down. Not coming back - be warned of rude service staff. If you can get beyond that the food and cocktails are great. read more

I've come here several times. Service and food were great prior to this last visit to the restaurant. This time the service felt rushed and when asking about the food we got directed to the menu. I asked for my fruit water to have minimal ice and then I was given a glass half full. The tacos were watery and plain. I will not be coming back. read more

Comal is top notch. Incredibly good service, probably because they have a really interesting and efficient team service model. Their menu changes daily so we have had a variety of dishes here, always excellent. The flavors are amazing, and they also make incredible non-alcoholic agua frescas, which aren't on the drink menu, but they will make one for you if you ask! We wish our budget allowed us to go here more often. It is busy, though, so go early or plan on waiting a bit. read more

As a vegetarian, I got the Tofu Chile Verde bowl. I asked for it to be spicy but it wasn't at all and the homemade hot sauce was not spicy at all. The portion was not worth $11 and the food was mediocre. The rice was good but tofu was okay, fried and probably marinated. Overall it didn't taste special at all probably better off with portion and quality at Guac66 or Cancun. read more

Went 2 times in one week. Excellent fresh cooking and wonderful service. This is really a first class tequila/ mescal bar with great food. Be prepared to spend 3/4 of your bill on their drinks! read more

I read about Comal a couple weeks and instantly was so excited! We tried to make reservations through their online service but upon our arrival found out it didn't through, so had to wait about 30 minutes. The bar was super crowded so it was difficult to order a drink while we waited, but I imagine once they open the patio the indoor bar will be less congested. Upon getting seated complimentary chips, salsa, and guacamole quickly arrived and we were greeted happily by our server. Service overall was wonderful. Our server was knowledgable about the menu, attentive and friendly. We started off with two tequila flights--- the Mezcal flight is amazing. Do not leave without trying the Bacanova! The only cocktails we tried were the margaritas, which were perfectly refreshing (and strong), but I am looking forward to trying their other cocktails. Now onto the food. We ordered the mussels and carnitas tacos (plenty for two of us along with the chips). The mussels were amazing, served steamed in a garlic, jalapeño and red pepper broth. They tasted fresh and were perfectly cooked, with a tasty kick from the broth. We were offered their special hot sauce, which was a little vinegary for my taste, but added an extra kick of heat. Then we finished off with the carnitas tacos. When we ordered these we were expecting typical tacos with chopped up carnitas and maybe some onion and cilantro. We were delightfully surprised to receive two large tacos with carnitas briskets that had been lightly charred served on homemade fresh tortillas and topped off marinated onion, carrots, and tangerine (yes, tangerine--- who would have thought?!). Overall Comal serves amazing food, drinks, and an ambiance great for a date night or night out with friends. I would suggest perhaps providing table top stands where customers could place large plates or the bottles of water that provide simply to have more table space for the food. Other than that cannot wait to come again when the patio is open! read more

Oh, Comal! How I love to sit on your back patio and enjoy a cocktail like SPF 2020 and some salsa/ guacamole! Your food has been hit or miss, but the hits have outshined the misses so I keep coming back. The zucchini flower quesadilla was amazing. the chile relleno was divine, the fish tacos were great one night (but not as good the next). Always order corn on the cob!!!! My boyfriend gets cravings for it! However, the Tlayuda was yucky! It was bland, it was burnt but soggy, it had a weird after taste. I wanted to send it back. Plus, your rice is bland. I will keep coming back for the drinks and small plate items, but sometimes you make me second guess you as a dinner location. read more

This is what god intended for Mexican food to taste like. You'll never want to eat Mexican food anywhere else, ever. read more

So 'delish' Mexican food...I've been here a few times with friends and love it! The food is very good and different from bland Mexican American food...not your Chipotle. Happy Hour on Friday is very busy yet the conversations and patron gives off an intellectual vibe. read more

What a great place! The ambiance is welcoming and the staff is friendly and efficient. Best of all, the food is excellent!

We waited a long time to be seated, even though there were a few tables avail. We got comped sone chips with guacamole, but that doesn't cut it for me. The food was really good so I've upped the review to 3 stars instead of just one. read more

Food is good but overpriced, and the wait is long usually. I ordered the comal swizzle from the bar and it was amazing, highly recommend!

Came here last Friday for dinner with a friend. The food was good, but the portions were small. I would recommend ordering an appetizer to share, because an entree might not be enough. In our case, we had a snack at BSC around the corner while we waited for our table, so we were pretty good. I had the gorditas, which were delicious, but lacked spice. I wish there had been more flavorful salsa on it - I added the ones that come with my chips. The food is definitely not cheap, especially for the size, so I understand why other reviewers' complaints. But the ambience is gorgeous, and we were there for 3 hours and not once did they ask us to leave. I will be back! read more

One of the only places in Berkeley open late for food and cocktails. Life saver after 10PM. The food is a very good Mexican-fusion and it is reasonably priced. I dislike 20% added automatically to my bill, however, the service is usually great, so I would have tipped above 15% anyway. Cocktails are top notch, and they are always able to modify them if I feel like using a different liquor. Nice outside patio at the back and they accommodate larger groups! I had more than 7 friends looking for a table, and it was one of the few places in Berkeley that took us right away! read more

I like this place a lot. It's super fun. Great atmosphere. Incredible cocktails. The food is really good too. The only reason that I'm not giving it five stars is because it's a bit pricey, and the waiters tend to rush the dishes out. Everytime I've eaten here, my table has had fresh plates dumped on us before we finished the prior set of dishes. That being said, I'll keep coming in!!! read more

The drinks were really good and the food was decent as well. I don't think it's the most authentic Mexican cuisine but overall did a good job. I think the best things are the atmosphere and the drinks and beer garden in the back. We waited nearly 1 hr for our table even though we were told 30 minutes. We were able to get drinks and sit in the beer garden in the back however they include a 20% service fee on all food AND drinks which I do not think warrants it. The service was mediocre at best and most of the staff was not attentive and barely helped us out. We had to waive them down them down in order to order our meal or more drinks. It was worth going to once but not sure if I would come back... read more

The food is decent but the service was terrible. We sat at the bar (3 people) and asked to be seated at a table as soon as one became available. We were supposedly next in line but waited and waited and we were never seated at a table. There were several tables open but the waiter mentioned that those tables were for larger parties. We got tired of waiting and just ordered and ate our food at the bar. When we left 40 minutes later, those tables were still empty. Other posters have gotten it right. When you are forced to pay a 20% gratuity regardless of service, there is absolutely no incentive to provide decent service. read more

My opinion - A place for upper crust pretentious people who don't mind overpaying for Mexican food. Good luck finding a seat as it's a chaotic atmosphere. read more

My DREAM is to have SITDOWN Mexican with really great table service. It seems to be the unicorn in the San Francisco Bay Area. Comal and Dona Tomas is Temescal so far are the closest. I love Comal's variety in menus items BUT WOW! Their bar/cocktail menu is fabulous! So, with that being said, it's an equation to eating at Comal: guacamole which I give TWO thumbs up here, chicharrones, chips, salsa and FISH TACOS with MULTIPLE top shelve margaritas. THAT is what Friday nights are about! Here is what I cannot stand...20%tip included. There have been a handful of times when he service WAS NOT REMOTELY great : forgot to place our kids order, never returned to see what else we would like, didn't take plates away etc. so there's that. I feel like it is MY choice to tip, not theirs. See for yourself, but 4 stats from me currently! read more

Give them a little while to adjust their menu. The first couple of months for a restaurant is a real working period. The food is ambitious but misses the mark mostly. The duck enchiladas are not bad. They have the most promise. Otherwise the chips and salsa are pretty outstanding and the drinks are well developed (by a bar genius no less). At this point I think of this place as somewhere to drink and snack. Maybe in July I'll try dinner again. read more

Comal's food is exceptional. If I were just rating the food, this would be 5 beloved stars. But when you spend $130 for three people to have dinner, then you also have the expectation that you have a bit of a dining experience, and good service...which is now thoroughly missing from the Comal meal experience. But first the food review. We shared the rib eye ($56), guacamole and chips, spicy watermelon salad, and yes - french fries with aioli. The rib eye was a beautiful cut of meat, grilled to a perfect medium rare, full of earthy flavor, tender, and plenty of meat for three people. We took some home. Their guacamole, chips and salsa are simply the best. Fresh, perfectly prepared chips Amazing. Three equally delicious salsas. Guacamole...fresh, delicious - simply the best I have had. The spicy watermelon salad...gorgeous. Spicy, sweet, with delicious cheese bits and sweet creama. We split the salad along with everything else three ways but it was so good I would go back today to sit and enjoy one all to myself, except.... Comal has followed the trend in Bay Area eateries of adding a mandatory 20% service charge to all tables. This is my typical tip for good or even descent service. This is the first time I have eaten here since this change has happened, and unless I have nothing but time and patience, I will be hesitant to eat here again. We waited 15 minutes at our table before anyone said hello to us. Twice I had to get up from my table and go to our waiter, who simply ignored our table, We asked for water four times from three different people before receiving it One response was "I'll tell your waiter" from the person who brought us our ordered drinks. We asked for more salsa and had to get up to go to the waiter (who didn't look at the table in order to see our more gentle hand raises, head nods or normal table notations that we would like something. Comal is doing a killer business, they have amazing food, but they have taken away the incentive for their crew to pay attention to their customers. Sadly, it really tainted my experience of their beautiful food. read more

My sister and I stopped in for a quick drink and bite at the bar. The experience started off great, the ambiance of Comal is great and we were able to find a seat at the bar no problem. The first bartender to greet us was wonderful. She was friendly and animated and it was appreciated. We ordered the ceviche and a drink each. The ceviche was tasty, super limey and not too spicy. The chips were a little hard but still edible. My drink was good, not amazing but I am always up for trying something new. My sister however said her Moscow mule tasted like straight ginger and had a hard time drinking it. They had a salsa trio that looked appealing so we asked for the salsa and some more chips for our ceviche, no problem right? Well, we weren't informed that the chips were $5, which isn't a huge deal but if I would've known I probably wouldn't have ordered them... I also feel like you should be provided enough chips to finish your ceviche.... They also automatically add 20% to the check which would've been fine if we continued to have the same bartender from the beginning, but the second bartender we had seemed annoyed and was way less friendly. Ending with her and the unexpected $5 kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

This place is amazing. From drinks to food to service. Happy to pay 20% gratuity for such a good meal.